Their Cause
by Prongs and pads forever
Summary: McGonagall finds a trap door and climbs in to find a secret lair of marauders.


**Author's note: This is a one-shot, bit angsty and tragedic. post-war. This is my first attempt at sad fanfic. So don't expect a lot. Anyways read it and write down a review. I welcome constructive criticism. 'Cause ... well, they are constructive. So be a darling and help this poor soul write better and better.**

**warning****: I'm not JKR. If I were her this could've been far better.**

It was a week after the war. Minerva was walking through a tower which was totally damaged in the battle. Most of the castle has been repaired, but still the signs of Battle wasn't totally gone.

She walked through the ruins of the tower inspecting the damage. The left side of it was blasted off, with dark magic. She saw a statue, which was so badly damaged to recognise, was thrown upside down revealing a small trap door beneath its feat.

She crouched down and tried to lift it. But it didn't even move. She tried to charm it open. Nothing happened. What the hell was a trap door doing here?

Sure, she didn't know everything about the castle but this didn't seem like it was built by the founders. It felt new. And there had been only one tunnel that was as new as this. The passage that lead near whooping willow, built before 30 years for Remus.

Remus , Hell, THE MARAUDERS. Could they.. hav.. built this? The marauders did a lot of things but a secret tunnel. Well, that's new.

Really Minerva, she chided herself, they were kids. She looked at the trap door with a irritated expression, trying to figure it out and out of the blue, she remembered the map Harry had shown her, the marauders map and whispered ever so slightly "I solmenly swear that I'm up to no good" Nothing happened. Worth a try, she thought as the trap door, to her immense surprise creaked and opened revealing musty stairs which looked really close to crumble.

She stared at it for a moment wondering if she should go in or not. The reckless gryffindor in her own and she climbed down the stairs. After a minute or two, she reached a room which was musty, stale and dark.

She lighted it with a flick of her wand. And the walls were of stone, they weren't much better than the staircase and they had pictures. Pictures? Of all the things she expected to be in a secret tunnel, there were pictures. Pictures of the Marauders, to be more exact, taken When they were young and reckless.

The pictures were all old and yellow, probably taken by Marlene McKinnon's camera. But the smiles were so lively. So real. She couldn't believe what had happened to them. To her boys.

They were one of the most cheerful group of students she had ever taught. They were so happy back then. They had walked around this very castle like they had no care in the world with smiles as wide as Asia. It all seemed so wrong that they lived so shortly and died so tragically. Her eyes were misty. She fingered the pictures, she smiled at a picture of Dumbledore who had a hot pink hair and couldn't help but smile again when she saw The great hall turned into a ice rink with penguins skating on it.

It seemed like yesterday, they had walked into Hogwarts. Those boys as annoying they were, has made everyone laugh. They deserved more, she thought.

Her eyes wandered the room, And in the very corner was a couple of pictures which was bigger than the rest. One picture had the four boys under the tree, they had marked as theirs. They looked about 17. They had put their hands over each other's shoulders. James and Sirius stood in the centre, with identitical mischevious grins. Sirius looked so happy, not even remotely similar to the man he had been made. His shoulder-lenght black hair was flying in the air as he winked at the camera. James smiled like there was no tomorrow, His hands were on Peter's head, messing his hair. James' messy black hair was messier than usual, thanks to the wind but still he looked good. Remus was standing beside Sirius.He had scars over his face but that did nothing to his smile. he waved at the camera so cheerfully. Peter was standing near James, he was smiling just as happily as the others. She honesty didn't know how peter had the heart to betray James. It seemed plain wrong. The idea of any of them betraying the other. Surreal.

She moved her eyes towards the next picture, blinking her eyes trying not to cry. The picture was in the hospital wing. It had Remus in the bed with his friends all around him, joking and trying their best to cheer Remus up. All his friends included James, Sirius, Peter, Lily, Marlene, Alice, Frank, Dorcas and Shirina.

She remembered that day, the photo was taken. It was the night after the full-moon, actually the last full-moon in 6th year for Remus. It wasn't the roughest full moon, he just had a couple of scratches. But he always felt very weak after the transformations. They drained him out, completely.

So, on that day, Minerva checked on him as she usually did. As she walked out of the room into the genral ward, she saw Madam Pomfrey arguing with a angry James and Sirius, and also Marlene McKinnon, Lily Evans, Alice Prewett, Frank longbottom, Dorcas Meadows, Shirina Kelt ( a Muggle born in Marauders's year) and Peter. Usually the marauders came to visit Remus, but now practically the whole Gryffindor seventh year was there.

Everyone except James and Sirius fell silent as she came, Madam pomfrey looked at her and she looked like, Do-something-to-these-frustrating-demons-from-your-goddamn-house.

Minerva glared at them and asked, what they all wanted. And James was like, we won't go untill you let us see Remus. And Sirius continued, "We will strike till you let us all in. ALL OF US." Those boys had a weird habit of finishing each other's sentences.

Lily who was more level headed put in,"We know about his.. condition, let us in, proffesor." She stared at them for a moment, The news that Remus has let them share his secret was no surprise. In a weird turn of events the 7 (Marauders lily, Marlene, Alice) of them became real close and when Alice and Frank started going out, Frank joined the gang too, with his best friends shirina and Dorcas.

She looked at them and said "Go in but I don't want to hear any noise. And madam pomfrey will pull you out in 5 minutes. Will that be okay, Poppy?" Madam pomfrey looked at them with admiration and slight shock, "You don't mind he's a werewolf" she asked in a very soft voice. Marlene looked offended and said "You think we would leave him just because he gets sick once a month . He's our friend. A good friend who's .. who has.. um " "A furry little problem" James completed for her. Madam Pomfrey looked at them in a new light and gave a smile and said "Five minutes" as she gestured towards the room and she looked at Minerva, "Why are we keeping his state a secret, his friends care more for him, than more about him" McGonagall gave her a dry smile and left the room with a fiery kind of proudness.

The 10 of them were the most ... Gosh! there weren't words for them. They were just so ... THEM. They were brave in their own ways. They cared for each other so much that she couldn't believe what had happened to them.

One killed at the prime of his life. One snatched from his youth, locked with his own worst memories for 12 years. One left alone in a world that isolated him, believing his best mate has killed his another friend. One died fighting the dark lord himself. One tortured to insanity by a crazy witch. The other tortured to insanity too after watching her love tortured. Another passed fighting that crazy witch who loved torturing. One died along her family fighting for a better world. One fell protecting her baby.

They all were so selfless. They were the best of people. They were so loving and caring. They were funny. They wer ...

She felt her eyes stung, tears rolled over her cheek. She started crying, like a scared little kid. But she didn't mind it neither did shr try to stop crying, Because some people were worth your tears. Some people are worth crying for or dying for.

After a long time, when she was out of tears, she stood up. And walked out of the ruins of the tower. She had work to do. She had to make their sacrifices worth it. Yes, they had Defeated Voldemort. But that is not what they fought for. They fough for a world of love. For equality.

She'd fight for their cause. For the marauders. For her children.

**_Don't forget to review._**


End file.
